Paris, Here We Come!!!
by wildnfree21
Summary: A pink love letter arrives for Chris and the gang learns about his love affair with (???) a few weeks after the Spencer Estate, when he was in Europe. Written on the spur of the moment, I think it's pretty good anyway! R/R Please!
1. The Love? Letter

Chapter One:  
The (Love?) Letter  
  
  
  
Claire Redfield whistled a soft tune to herself as she walked down the driveway and   
reached into the mailbox. Her hand pulled out a small stack of envelopes and she quickly   
flipped through it as she turned back to the house. Bills, bills, bills, credit card offer, bill,   
bill….and an exquisitely perfumed light pink envelope. Claire's interest peaked when   
she smelled the exotic fragrance of jasmine and the loopish, feminine writing on the   
address. Her interest peaked even more so when she saw who the letter was addressed   
to….  
"Chris just got a letter from some woman in Paris." Claire said excitedly as she burst   
through the doors.  
Leon Kennedy, who had just woken up and was groggily scratching his rump, was   
wearing a plain white T-shirt and his Garfield boxers.   
Leon sniffed cynically. "So Chris had a one night stand in a foreign city, promising that   
helpless, innocent child that he'd return to her one day—so what? Everyone knows your   
brother's a tramp."  
To assure her he was joking, he gave a half-hearted punch on her shoulder. Claire   
frowned at him deeply, not convinced that all he said was in jest. It had always pained   
she heard people call her brother a good-for-nothing drifter or an evasive womanizer   
when deep down, Chris was the greatest person she had ever known.  
"Claire! Make five cups of coffee!" Chris voice grumbled from behind her and she   
turned to see him still in his bathrobe, unshaven and his blood-shot eyes half-closed   
beneath his lids. "And you might want to see if anyone else wants some too."  
Okay… so Chris was a diamond-in-the-rough… he was still a good person. "Well,   
hop-to Claire!" Chris barked as he sat down.  
Claire rolled her eyes and turned to Leon holding up the letter in her hand. "Dare I give it   
to him?"  
A grin crept up on Leon's face but he turned away and opened the fridge, bending in to   
look (and giving Claire an eyeful of his firm butt). You could probably eat breakfast off   
of that… or bounce bullets off… Claire thought as she bit her bottom lip and quickly   
turned around and tossed the pink envelope to Chris.  
"It's for you Chris…" Claire crossed her eyes at him. "And it's from a guurrrlll.."   
she purred in a ridiculous voice.  
"Coffee." Chris scowled as he stared down at the envelope.  
"Yeah, I know." Claire replied as she got up and filled the coffee maker with water. Just   
as she was filled the filter with the coffee, a loud yelp came from Chris.  
Whipping her head around, Claire saw Chris staring down in horror at the white, lace   
trimmed stationary, the envelope was hanging loosely at his fingertips.   
"What is it, Chris?" Claire asked as she turned the coffee pot on and started towards him.  
"She wants me to come to her castle!" Chris exclaimed cravenly.   
The word 'castle' caught Claire's attention immediately and she frowned. "What?"  
"She wants me to come to her castle!" Chris repeated hysterically.  
"Who has a castle?" Leon asked, suddenly fascinated.   
Chris became withdrawn and sat back.  
"Good morning everyone!" Jill exclaimed as she entered the kitchen.  
"Shut-up!" Leon exclaimed.   
Without losing her cheerful disposition, Jill punched Leon's arm, sending him reeling   
backwards.   
"Hey! I just mean that Chris is going to tell us about his affair with a royal." Leon   
defended, rubbing his shoulder.  
"Oh?" Jill said as she turned questioningly to Chris. "And who was this?"  
Chris breathed heavily as he spoke, "It was just a one-time thing! How was I supposed to   
know that she'd write one day out of the blue, asking me to visit her!"  
Claire shook her head. "Oh Chris! How could you?"  
"Oh my God! What if she's pregnant?" Chris asked, suddenly horror-struck. He   
grabbed Claire's arm. "If she's pregnant, I don't know what I'll do!"  
"Chris, get a grip!" Claire order. "What are you talking about? Who is this girl?"  
Chris backed off and a blush suddenly crept up on his cheeks.  
"I wouldn't exactly call her a 'girl' exactly."  
"Oh my God, Chris! Don't tell me that you slept with a guy." Leon shook his head.   
"Honestly man, how wasted where you?"  
"I wasn't wasted, okay?" Chris snapped. "I was just so desperate for good news and   
good thoughts after the Spencer Estate thing—and when I arrived in Paris, I ran into her   
and… and well, we hit it off!"  
"Who is 'she'?" Jill butted in.   
Chris looked down at his hands and mumbled, "She's the widow of the Italian   
Ambassador in France…"  
The three of them gasped in what seemed to be one breath and Claire felt that she would   
faint. In fact, she grabbed on to the edge of the table and sat down hard on her chair.   
Everyone was silent for what seemed to be forever when Chris spoke up, "… she wants   
me to come visit her for a while…" he looked from the letter then up to the three of them.   
"…But…" a twinkle sparkled in his eyes. "She said I could bring my friends with me…"  
Claire's eyes widened. "No. No, no Chris. I will have no part in this freaky love   
affair you are having with… what ever her name is."  
"Carlotta Cornaro." Chris said as he put his puppy dog face on. "Come on you guys,   
PLEASE?"  
"Why should we do this?" Claire asked him.  
"Because it will be a great adventure for you guys!" Chris sighed as he turned to Leon   
and Jill. "Leon, you know how much you love those chocolate croissants? Well,   
Carlotta has a cook who MAKES them right away."  
Leon's eyes shone. "You mean I wouldn't have to wait in line?"  
"Nope." Chris assured him.  
Leon looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'd like to go to Gay Paris…" he said,   
pronouncing Paris the French way: Par-ree.   
"And Jill," Chris said, turning to Jill and knowing that she would take a little more   
convincing. She wasn't as easy as men were. "You love all that scenery and romantic   
shit, Paris has wonderful landscapes and stuff you can take pictures of. You could   
experience something new for a change!"  
Claire thought Jill still looked unconvinced but she just shrugged, looking as if she   
wanted to beat Chris' face in.  
"And Claire," Chris said as he faced her. "you're my sister, so you have to do what I tell   
you to do."  
Claire frowned. "I most certainly do NOT. Chris, I think you're way in over your head.   
You can't continue your relationship with this woman, be serious. Besides, weren't you   
just horrified that she started contacting you now?"  
Chris snorted. "That's in the past, besides, with you guy going with me, what's there   
to be scared of?"  
Claire was about to shake her head when she saw Leon giving her a pleading look. 'Just   
say 'yes'! Leon's eyes flashed at her. Honestly, how men could get so worked up over   
food was just beyond her. Claire turned to Jill to help her out in this, but Jill wore an   
unreadable expression.  
"Claire," Chris said, his voice soft and unsure. "Please, say that you'll go. I don't   
know what I'd do if you didn't come."  
Claire bit her bottom lip. After a few minutes, she sighed. "Let me think about this."  
  
  
  
"Come on!" Chris shouted as he thundered downstairs. "We're going to miss our   
flight."  
Claire groaned inwardly as she struggled to close her suitcase and locked it. It was four   
days later and Carlotta had sent them four tickets (the three of them, plus Sherry) express   
way. Claire had thought Chris couldn't be serious when he wanted them to go with him   
to France, but when the tickets arrived, she found out that she was mistaken.   
Claire felt a flutter of excitement and nervousness as she dragged her suitcase to the   
car and then threw it into the car. Why was she doing this? Everything was moving too   
fast. In a matter of hours, she would meet Chris' girlfriend that no one knew about. She   
had bristled with anger when she found out about Chris' affair with Carlotta, but after   
some thought, she understood.   
Chris had wanted to hear of good things, better things especially after Umbrella had   
shattered his spirit and filled his nights with dreams of vengence, that he had fallen for   
the first person available. Cupid must have been aiming straight at the old folk's home   
when Chris had called. From what Chris told her , Claire knew that Carlotta was at least   
45 years old. She would be infertile by the time Chris (if ever) reached sexual maturity.  
She had tried to tell him this, but he had just stared at her as if she didn't know what   
she was talking about and told her to go and pack.  
"SHERRY!" Chris shouted up the stairs and right in Claire's ears.   
"OW! Chris!" she shouted back.   
"What?" Chris asked.  
"Sherry's outside already." Claire pointed out, and Chris turned to see Sherry wishing all   
the plants and the houses good-bye. As if she were leaving forever.  
"Well, then let's go!" Chris said. He was trying to appear fearless, but Claire could   
see that Chris was scared shitless.   
Jill came trudging down the stairs and sighed before going outside to deposit her suitcase   
into the trunk of their car.  
"Paris, France, here we come!" Leon exclaimed as he came down the stairs, grinning.   
"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing Claire's slightly less than enthusiastic expression.  
"Nothing's wrong." Claire said. "Just that Chris is dating a MUCH older woman. And I   
don't like it one bit."  
"I don't think that 45 and 27 is so bad." Leon said openly and Claire just laughed.  
"Of course you don't," Claire said. "Your sister lives in the Playboy Mansion. With that   
sick old pervert."  
Leon's upper lip stiffened and he frowned. "And she hasn't invited me ONCE." He   
grinned wider and put his arm around her shoulders as he led her out to the car. "Don't   
worry. Everything will be okay. Just think of this as a well-earned vacation."  
Leon's confidence was contagious and as they rode to the airport she began to feel   
herself relax. 


	2. Paris, here we come!

Chapter Two:  
  
  
  
  
Claire closed her eyes dreamily as she stared out the plane window at all the fluffy clouds  
around them, and if she peered closely, she could see the deep blue ocean beneath her.   
"You seem happy." Leon's voice spoke up, cutting through her thoughts. Turning around, she saw  
Leon grinning at her.   
"Is there something wrong with being happy?" Claire asked as she sat back the comfortable first-class  
seat.  
"No, there's nothing wrong." Leon replied. "It's just that you looked like you were going to have  
a good, old-fashioned nervous breakdown. Now, it's appears you've taken a pound of Vycadin."  
Claire stared at him for a moment before she understood and let out a light giggle. "I don't know,  
it just seems better to not think about anything right now. Especially not Chris and his sugar-momma."  
Leon snorted but tried to hide it in a cough. "How do you think Chris must feel?"  
"Probably getting the kick of his life." Claire scoffed. "You know how arrogant he can get."  
"Yeah, I know." Leon said. "Just a few days ago, I walked in on him in the bathroom and he was   
practically kissing his reflection. If you'll forgive me for saying this, I sometimes wish that  
someone had turned the hose on your parents when they were conceiving Chris."  
"I sometimes wish that too." Claire said lightly as she leaned back into her chair. "Oh God, how  
could Chris do this? Doesn't he ever think about anything? No wait, don't answer that." she  
added once she saw that Leon was going to open his mouth to reply smartly.  
Claire turned away from him and stared out at the clouds again, her thoughts jumbling around  
in her brain and pounding away, giving her a splitting headache. She groaned and held her head in  
her hand, and another reached for her free hand. She turned to see Leon giving her a warm, reassuring  
look.   
"I wouldn't worry about this too much." Leon told her with a tender smile--oh, that smile. "Sure,  
Chris is a playboy and all that, but he's not as dumb as you think he is. At most, he'll just  
smile pretty with this... this lady for a couple of weeks before they'll eventually go their   
seperate ways when they realize that this is just a meaningless fling--and we'll have a free   
vacation out of it."  
Claire was still skeptical but Leon was so persistent that it was hard not to lighten up about it.  
"You're probably right. It's just really shocking to find out about Chris and this... this  
MUCH older woman."  
"Why don't you get some rest?" Leon suggested, cocking his head to the side. Something that always  
reminded Claire of a puppy raising it's ears when it was confused. "We'll be in Paris in an hour,  
you surely don't want to watch the in-flight movie, do you?"  
Claire looked from him to the screen and then back to Leon. "I'll see you in the morning."  
  
  
Leon groaned tiredly as he lugged his suitcase off the carousel and through the airport. Beside  
him, Claire was looking hesitantly around, probably expecting to see some old grandma come running  
up to her brother.   
"Oh I just love it here!" Sherry exclaimed as she twirled around, her duffel bag hitting Chris and  
making him stumble forward. "Even the air smells different from in America!"  
"Mr. Redfield and company?" A voice spoke up from behind them. They all turned to see a stout little  
man in a black suit.   
"Yes." Chris said, stepping forward.   
The man nodded. "Follow me." he turned on his heels and started forward.   
"Okay, I'm leaving." Claire mumbled as she started back toward the terminal gate. Leon reached  
out and grabbed her arm, swinging her around and pulling her along.  
"Everything's going to be okay." Leon assured her in a comforting voice.   
"I don't want to be here." Claire whined as she struggled to free herself from his grip.  
"Oh come on." Leon coaxed as he took her hand in his.   
Claire pouted all the way out until they arrived at a long, white stretch limosine. Her eyes widened  
in amusement before she turned them back to a steely, cool gray.  
Leon pushed her into the limo and sat next to her. "Surely you have nothing wrong with this?"  
Claire pursed her lips and glared at him.  
"Whoa-ho!" Chris guffawed as he bounced a little on the cool leather seats. "Yes, this is about  
right--oh, and the rug is still here."  
Leon looked down at the floor to see a white Persian rug--an expensive Persian rug.  
"I hope you took cash for your services, Chris." Claire spat out as the limo pulled away from the curb  
after the chauffer had loaded all their luggage into the trunk. "It would've been more honest."  
Chris ignored his sister's accusations and flashed her a light-hearted grin even though Leon  
could see a glint of nervousness flash through his eyes.   
"I assure you Claire, Carlotta is not the type to have indiscriminative sex with anyone. She's   
very selective." Chris said.   
"And all she winded up with is you?" Jill asked, a look of slight resentment not unlike the one  
in Claire's.   
Chris shrugged, unfazed. "You two will change your tune once we reach Carlotta's." he spoke quickly,  
his head turned down as if he were trying to convince himself too. "But to tell the truth, Carlotta  
is a very nice woman, if you two would just give her a chance you'll grow to like her."  
  
  
Chris bit his bottom lip as the white stretch limo rolled down the familiar streets and tree-lined  
boulevards. His mind flashed back to that night when he had met Carlotta Cornaro at one of the  
many clubs in the city. He was just sitting down and drinking a beer when one of the waiters slid him  
a glass of expensive champagne, saying it was from the woman in the corner booth. Chris' eyes  
searched the scene and finally landed a regal-looking woman who looked like she was about in her  
late 30's. Not being one to ignore such an inviting invitation, he stood up and walked over to   
her.  
After settling in the seat in front of her, he smiled devilishly at her and said, "You must  
be the wonderful angel who just sent down a ray of sunshine to light up my life..." Lame, Chris.   
Lame. Open mouth, insert foot. But as corny as the line may have been, she smiled sweetly and  
laughed. They began talking and had quite a few drinks. Before he knew what he was doing, he was  
being led to her limosine out back and driven to her private villa. To Chris, it seemed like a   
castle.   
Carlotta was a wild woman, despite her age. Chris felt himself grow more and more helpless  
as she led him down corridor after corridor and stairwell after stairwell, her lips moving over  
his forehead, lips and chest. Deep in his heart, he knew it was wrong, so very wrong, especially  
since he had always been attracted to Jill, as Carlotta laid him down on her bed, he felt a surge  
of guilt shoot through his body. Realizing that he was being irrational he let his thoughts fly  
away. All the alcohol started to take effect as he sat back and let Carlotta tease and use his   
body anyway she wanted.  
Chris didn't doubt that Carlotta had have feelings for him, but that was ENTIRELY on her  
part. Chris felt nothing as she undressed him. As she kissed him everywhere. As she nipped and  
bit at all his most private, intimate parts. After she finished her part of the loving, Chris  
took over as if on auto-pilot. He slowly took her into his arms and kissed her. Then he felt her  
passion channel into him and started to get more into it. Sweat rolled down his body as he entered  
and re-entered her, working between her legs until he climaxed with a violent shudder.   
He shuddered now as the limo turned a corner and they arrived at a elaborately designed   
chantello. This was it. In a matter of minutes, he'd meet face to face with Carlotta again after  
a year and a half.   
"Jill?" he asked, reaching for her hand. Jill looked up at him, her face still sour. "Even if  
you're still sore at me... I'm glad you all came with me."  
Jill smiled and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Claire ease up too.  
"As much as I hate to admit this, I'm nervous as hell." 


	3. Cinderella's Dream House

Chapter Three:  
  
Cinderella's Dream House  
  
Jill Valentine's breath caught in her throat as the gates opened up and the limo drove through the opening and down a long path lined with big, shady trees. 'This Carlotta person must love her privacy.' Jill thought as their limo drove on and on. Nearly half a mile later the road opened up to an expansive, lush green garden. The garden was plain except for a beautiful lily pond right in the center and six marble statuettes lining the sides and enclosed by boxwood hedges.  
  
Beyond the garden was Carlotta's villa enclosed by yet another impressively carved chantello. Everyone was speechless as the limo pulled to a stop right in front of the gate and their chauffer rolled down the partition. "Welcome, to the Cornaro Villa. Ms. Cornaro is waiting for you inside. I will get your bags." Chris nodded his thanks and opened the door. Everyone followed him out, star-struck. As they climbed the marble stone steps, Sherry was the first to snap out of her daze and let out a whistle.  
  
"I don't care what you guys say," she said. "Judging from this house, I say that Chris does have taste when it comes to women." A withering glare from Jill shut her up. Just then, the large French doors burst open and a woman appeared. Jill was surprised with Carlotta, she was halfway to 50, but she still had the body of a 25 year old. Her face was still smooth but had signs of a few wrinkles and her hair was starting to gray.  
  
"Christopher!" she exclaimed happily as she practically tumbled into his arms. "My dear, sweet, charming Christopher Redfield. Oh, how wonderful it is to see your tall, robust structure again!" There was a snorting sound from Leon but Claire stomped her foot down on his. Despite Claire's obvious resentment in coming along, Jill could see that the house impressed her too.  
  
"And these must be your friends!" Carlotta said with a dazzling smile.  
  
"Um... yes..." Chris said. "This is Jill Valentine, Sherry Birkin, Leon Kennedy and my little sister, Claire." He pointed to each of them.  
  
"Pleased to meet you." Carlotta said, a slight Italian accent hanging in her voice. Her eyes closely examined them and when her eyes landed on Sherry, they lit up. "My goodness! Why, you dear, are the spit and image of my youngest niece!"  
  
Carlotta's arm linked though Chris's. "Look at her darling: Petite, delicate, beautiful, superb! Why, I just might enter you in the Miss Paris pageant."  
  
Sherry blushed with praise and stood straighter. Jill heard Claire stifle a laugh. Sherry knew how adults could be and right then, she must have realized that Carlotta would've gotten her the moon if she wanted. No doubt that over the course of their vacation, she would use that to her advantage. Sherry would return to the U.S. with ten fold more than when she left.  
  
"Well, you must be tired from your long flight." Carlotta announced as she led them through the small foyer and straight into a grand, airy drawing room. Claire's head spun in several directions to take it all in. Three large French windows let in masses of light to shine on the flower- patterned salmon couches and chairs. On each of the cherry wood tables rested a floral arrangement surrounded by an assortment of Venetian antiques. From the barrel-vaulted ceiling ---showing a brilliant cabaret of 16th century frescoes--- hung a Napoleon III gilt-bronze chandelier. Claire felt a nudge at her side and Leon leaned over to whisper into her ears. "I especially love to sit on the 19th century salone grande and read some of Europe's finest literature." He said in a proper, British accent.  
  
"I'm from Italy, dear." Carlotta corrected him over her shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry." Leon blanched in embarrassment but Carlotta simply smiled.  
  
"It's perfectly all right. It's refreshing to have a person with humor around-just don't let Cook hear you. She's a 60-year-old, old maid from London."  
  
Leon laughed lightly but Claire noticed that he didn't say anything anymore. Carlotta was rich AND a saint capable of performing miracles. Claire tried to remain impartial to Carlotta's worldly things, but everything was so beautiful and antique and over-the-top, she felt like Cinderella after she had been magically changed into a princess.  
  
The silent trance Leon had gone into broke when they finally reached the East wing-where they were to room.  
  
"Holy shit." Leon whispered as Carlotta pushed open a room with a Napoleon brass bed perpendicular to the wall.  
  
"Your room, Ms. Valentine." Carlotta said with a graceful wave of her hand.  
  
"Oh, HOLY SHIT!" Jill said in a voice almost too loud voice. Instead of being appalled at Jill's country bumpkin reaction, she smiled.  
  
"Oh wonderful, you like it."  
  
Jill managed to nod and ran her fingers over the printed cotton chintz on her bed covering.  
  
"From what Chris has told me, I gathered that you'd like a room with plenty of sunlight. If you enjoy pleasure reading the chaise longue at the edge of the bed has perfect lighting at around noon. Each of your rooms has an adjourning bath." Carlotta said in a nervous, almost mechanical voice-as if she'd been practicing on what to say--- reminding Claire of the stereotypical new step mom in movies. Eager to please. Jill's room was almost as large as the conference room at the station and had a large bay window that faced out into the wooded area next to the villa and had a sofa built into its alcove.  
  
The corner parallel to her bed held a peach colored Italian marble topped vanity table filled to the edges with crystal fixtures, glass orbs and potpourri.  
  
Jill decided to follow the group and see the rooms the others had gotten. The next room was Sherry's. The girl squealed with delight as Carlotta opened a light green door and they saw a room that looked as if it belonged in a dollhouse. The decor was a mix of the lightest of pastel blues, pinks, greens and yellows. Mirrors were positioned all along the walls. The room was extravagantly furnished, with a corner near the swag- curtained window, where two small sofas sat with a table filled with make- up, hair brushes, hand-held silver mirrors and accessories. And there were numerous other things that only the teen queens of teeny-bopper movies possessed.  
  
"The delivering company will be sending a vanity table perhaps sometime tomorrow. Jolene will put it up for you." Carlotta said unnecessarily at Sherry stared in astonishment at the baldacchino bed draped with a white eyelet canopy and placed on a second level of the room.  
  
"Why is the bed so high up?" Sherry asked as she stared at the little wooden step stool that she would have to use to get on. Carlotta laughed as she moved around to pullout a second bed from beneath it. "Cortinians love to have sleepovers." She joked. "Cortina is where this was made, honey."  
  
"And you have your own chandelier." Leon noted, staring up at the ceiling. Sherry followed his gaze and gasped when she saw the crystal chandelier strung with jade beads. "My friends are going to be SO jealous." Sherry commented. "Claire, we HAVE to take pictures."  
  
"Okay." She said, laughing as they followed Carlotta out. The next room was Leon's. His room was nowhere near as elaborately decorated as Sherry's (no one's was) but it was still impressive none-the-less. Paintings hung on the super white walls that brought out the deep turquoise of the large area rugs spread all over the geometric hardwood floors. An ebony-embossed Empire-style bed was underneath a painting of the Last Supper and was trimmed with golden designs. The most notable ones were five-point stars that intertwined with ivy vines around the bust of a sleeping lion.  
  
"Nice. Very nice, thank you." Leon said as he tested out the firm mattress covered in tightly tucked turquoise sheets and pillows that matched.  
  
"This was one of the bedrooms that's adjourning bath was designed by one of Italy's most famous decorators."  
  
Claire and Leon were the only ones that were intrigued enough to peek into the bathroom. It was indeed nice, but Claire didn't see why you would spend so much time on a bathroom. It was a mix of pale and dark blues and had at least four Tuscan sculptures.  
  
"That tub is twice the size of the one back home." Leon commented, impressed. He turned back to the curtained doorway and looked puzzled. "How come there's a bench in here?" he asked Claire, who shrugged. Carlotta was waiting in the bedroom with the rest.  
  
"Maybe she knows about the nasty habit you have about leaving clothes all over the floor."  
  
"Claire, if you knew about the other nasty habit that I have, you'd be glad there's a bench in here." He grinned jocularly. Claire felt her face grow hot and she headed for the door. "Come on, I'd like to see my room. I'm exhausted."  
  
"Well?" Carlotta asked expectantly as they came out.  
  
"It's... it's very nice." Leon replied.  
  
"Oh, good, you all like your rooms..." she twittled her thumbs nervously. "Um, Claire, you're next."  
  
Claire forced a smile, "It appears so."  
  
Carlotta nodded and led them out to the next room and opened the door. Claire expected something nice-everything in the villa was nice, but NOTHING prepared her for the room that she entered. It was not as richly endowed as Sherry's dollhouse room, but it was the nicest bedroom that Claire had ever seen.  
  
A gorgeous rose pink four-poster bed was lined perpendicular to the bright white walls. The bed was a baldacchino with rose blossom vines entwining all over the headboard and posters. An elegant pink canopy of Italian silk hung over the bed in the shape of a teepee and led all the way up to the ceiling, a trail of roses following it's path, and ended in the statuette of a swan, it's wings outstretched. The floor was white marble and bare except for a large pink shag rug at the edge of the bed of flowers. The white-beamed ceiling had tiny pink blossoms hand painted onto it and in the corner of the room, right next to a pearl white vanity table was a small breakfast nook with a table and a bunch of tea accessories.  
  
The room had a whimsical, romantic feel to it and Claire suddenly felt overwhelmed. All of this was for her?  
  
"Do you like it?" Carlotta's voice spoke up.  
  
Claire turned around and smiled. "Like it? I love it."  
  
Carlotta let out a breath that she had been holding. "Well, fantastic. That about ends the tour, I suppose you'll want to wash up and rest before dinner... I hope you all enjoy your stay here and---"  
  
"Wait a minute." Claire said suddenly, turning to Chris. "Where is YOUR bedroom?"  
  
She turned to Carlotta who had a deer-in-the-headlights look in her eyes. "Chris is staying in this wing too, isn't he?"  
  
Carlotta cleared her throat before replying. "Well, I just thought it would be nice if he stayed in the next wing with... with me..."  
  
Claire had to take a step back as everyone except for Leon exited quietly. Why hadn't Claire seen this before? All these wonderful rooms and worldly things were only to make them forget that Carlotta had first invited CHRIS and them second. She had something much more on her mind than entertaining them.  
  
Chris gave Claire a reassuring nod and patted her shoulder. "I want you all to be comfortable. You wouldn't have fun with me hanging around. Besides," he added. "this wing is much too crowded already."  
  
Claire was about to open her mouth, to say that this wing had at least fifteen rooms in it, but a desperate look came into his eyes, telling her to shut up.  
  
He linked arms with Carlotta hesitantly before leaving Claire alone with Leon. After a few moments Claire exploded. "I'M SO STUPID! WHY DIDN'T I SEE IT?" she asked Leon who ran over to stop her from destroying everything.  
  
"Claire, calm down." Leon said soothingly as he wrapped his arms around her arms and waist and fought against her struggling.  
  
"Let go of me. I'm leaving this place. I don't want to stick around and see Chris knock up some middle-aged tramp."  
  
"She's not a tramp Claire," Leon argued. "She's a lonely widow who's looking for love---granted she had to take a dip into the cradle of idiocy to find it..."  
  
"How could he do this?" Claire replied in a much quieter voice.  
  
"It's okay. Let's just enjoy this while we can. Make the best out of what you have." He smiled before adding, "And right now, we've got the world."  
  
Claire sighed before resting her head on his shoulder. "If she wants Chris so badly, she's going to have to put up with me."  
  
Leon laughed ruefully as he sat down at her vanity. "That's right. But try not to hurt her to badly." 


	4. The Finer Things

Chapter Four:   
The Finer Things  
  
  
  
"I was truly meant to live like this!" Sherry bragged as she stood in front of the large oval mirror that ran the entire length of one wall in the summer drawing room, modeling a velvet tank dress with a striking straw hat. She and the girls had just returned from the city after a full afternoon of shopping in all of Paris' best shops. Carlotta was a woman of great wealth and never hesitated to show it. In the past two weeks they had been at the villa, she had taken them to all the most expensive stores from Chanel to Versace, buying them things left and right.   
Most of her attention was put on Sherry, catering to her every desire. Buying her heaps of clothing and accessories and other knick-knacks. Now she had enough in her room to make a department store jealous. All Sherry had to do was ask nicely or show off one of her numerous talents and the world was at her fingertips. Needless to say, all that newfound power was going to her head.  
Leon walked quickly through the large foyer and ended up in the main sitting room. Scratching his head in confusion, he looked around. He could have sworn he took that left when he reached the ballroom...  
"You looking for something?" Claire asked as she entered the room. Leon turned and saw Claire leaning against the doorway, dressed in a three-piece red suit with a gold chain around her neck with an angel-shaped pendant.   
"Nice outfit." Leon replied. "Carlotta take you shopping at Dior's?"  
"Don't change the subject." Claire admonished him, but she looked flattered. "Honestly, what are you looking for?"  
"Honestly?" he repeated. "I'm looking for my room."  
Claire laughed before shaking her head. "We've been here for two weeks, how much longer do we have to stay for you to remember where the rooms are?"  
Leon shrugged. "I'm not sure. Everything here is so...big...a person could get lost and die in this house."  
Claire smiled and cocked her head in the opposite direction. "Don't worry, we'll find your mommy, little boy."  
"Forget my mommy, why don't you just take me home with you?" Leon asked, waggling his eyebrows in the manner of Groucho Marx.   
He followed Claire as she walked back to the ballroom and led him up the steps and down a long, bright hallway. "Look familiar?" she asked.  
"Kind of." Leon said, taking note of everything just in case he ended up losing his way again. Claire surged forward bravely as if this were her own house and she was sure of it's every nook and cranny in it.  
"And if you'll look to the left, you'll see a handcrafted Mahogany door... and if you just turn the knob..." she trailed off as she pushed the door open and Leon found the East wing rooms in front of him.   
"Wow, nice job. Kudos to you for remembering the whole place."  
Shrugging, Claire fell into step behind Leon and replied, "Don't thank me, thank Sherry. She's the one who forced Jill and I to explore this place from top to bottom."  
"Oh really?" Leon asked as he found his room and opened it.  
"Yes, and we were looking through the southernmost wing and found that it was sort of like a museum. You wouldn't believe the things that Carlotta collects. She's been everywhere."  
"Oh really?" Leon asked.  
"Uh huh, and then when we were done with that wing, we found that the exit was locked. Apparently no one goes in there except during parties, when Carlotta shows it off, and the maid Jolene locked it and we almost had a heart attack. We couldn't get out because all the windows were locked. We yelled for nearly five minutes before Sherry pointed out that there was an intercom that connected to the entire house. Jolene apologized a thousand times. She was probably worried we'd get her fired."  
"Oh--"  
"Really?" Claire finished for him. "Honestly Leon, you're so predictable." She replied, throwing herself down onto his bed. "I love this bed." Said remarked, kicking off her jet-black flats.  
"Really? I love it too. Very comfortable." Leon said as he mirrored her motion, throwing himself down next to her and kicking off his boots. "What about you, you have a pretty nice one too."  
"I suppose so." Claire replied. "Carlotta does a good job of sucking up."  
"It wouldn't hurt if you learned to do that once in a while." Leon mentioned.   
"Oh, and what do you mean by that?" Claire asked innocently.   
"What do I mean?" Leon repeated, looking shocked. "What do I mean? For God's sake, I'm wearing an... a..." he looked down at his new slacks and shirt. "Well, I don't really know what it is, but Chris and I went shopping a couple of days ago and we spent enough to make a California valley girl jealous."  
"It's Gucci, Leon." Claire corrected. "Casual toned, but still, sophisticated."  
"Oh yeah?" Leon challenged, he got up and crossed over to the armoire, pulling out an expensive suit. "You see this? This is an Armani original."  
"Very substantial line." Claire critiqued snootily. "Playful but yet with a hint of seriousness." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "It'll probably make you look fat."  
Leon scoffed bitterly. "It does not! Here, I'll try it on right now to prove it."  
Claire was quiet and Leon stood awkwardly staring at her. "Um... take it off now?"  
"You said it, not me." Claire said with a shrug of her shoulders. Her cool demeanor made Leon realize that she wasn't kidding. "What's wrong? I've seen you half-naked enough times and you done the same with me, there's nothing to be ashamed of."  
Leon sneered and rolled his eyes. "Why not degrade me more? Why not make me model my lingerie and put on a runway show?"  
"Whatever will look better with the five-inch heels." Claire replied, cleaning her nails. "You should come along with us tomorrow, we're getting our nails manicured."  
"I can hardly wait." He replied sarcastically.   
"Aren't you going to start?" she demanded fiercely.  
Leon's eyes widened in surprise and he started to unbutton his shirt. Claire watched him detachedly before returning her attention to his nails. Leon hurriedly dressed in the Versace before standing in front of Claire in the at-ease position. "Well, like what you see?"  
"You're okay." She said standing up in front of him, gazing up into his eyes defiantly.  
"Just okay?" he asked skeptically, looking down at himself. "Damn it Claire, I freakin' hot."  
"I'm just saying that you look better in your police uniform-that's the REAL you. Just because Carlotta's picked us up and moved us to this palace doesn't mean we have to lose sight of ourselves." Her voice was aggravated as she turned around and chewed on her thumb. "It's already happening to Sherry."  
Leon felt confused as he sat down and motioned for Claire to do the same. "What do you mean?"  
"Don't you see it?" Claire asked. "Sherry's getting spoiled with all these clothes that Carlotta is throwing in her face. Carlotta's manipulating her-all of us."  
"Claire, wake up. Sherry was always spoiled-and you were the one who spoiled her. It's just you never wanted to see it."  
"That's ridiculous!" Claire said, biting her lip.   
"And Carlotta isn't manipulative as much as she is generous." Leon said.   
"I suppose so..." Claire said with some reluctance. "I guess I appreciate all that she's done for us."  
"Claire!" Sherry's voice came from outside the hallway; her footsteps pounded a staccato rhythm on the floor.  
"In here Sherry," Claire called back, standing up.  
Sherry burst into Leon's room, her cheeks glowing scarlet with exhilaration. "Carlotta and Chris want to go to the new ice cream shop in town. Do you want to go?"  
"I don't feel like going out again." Claire replied. "Why don't you go ahead?"  
Sherry looked to Leon, who shook his head. "No, I'm pretty wiped out too."  
"Okay, but you don't know what you're missing-Carlotta is going to speak with me about the trip that she wants to take to London in two days." She skipped back over to the door. "I can't wait to shop at Harrods!"  
As she left down the hallway, Claire shot a reproachful look at Leon as if to say, 'see what's become of her?'  
"Think what you like," Leon told her. "but I definitely could get used to this style of living."  
"Sure," Claire retorted. "We'll just get you a map of the grounds." 


	5. Intercoms and Big Houses

Chapter Five:  
Intercoms and Big Houses  
  
  
  
Leon hummed a tuneless song as he washed up in his tub. It had taken him a while to get used to showering sitting down but he was doing fine considering that there was a statue of a headless, naked man bolted to the tub and staring right at him. Leon knew all about art and it's sacredness and beauty, but he couldn't help but be intimidated every time he raised his head over the water and saw... yeah, well... anyway... the statue wasn't going to come alive in the middle of the night and kill Leon just because his was bigger.   
Stepping out of the tub, he grabbed the cotton terry robe from off the well-designed, marble-carved, Carrara bench and slipped into it. Creeping back into his room he opened the armoire that was the same ebony textile that his bed frame was, he found a pair of white shorts and a light yellow polo shirt and put it on. Crossing over to the thermostat, he pressed a black button on another small device next to it.   
"Hello, anyone?" he asked into the intercom. "Is anyone there?"  
When no one answered he shrugged and headed out of his room and down the long hall. He checked the dining room, the drawing room, the formal living room, the kitchen and a bunch of other rooms that he couldn't remember the name to, but to no avail.  
Deciding to try one more time, he pressed the intercom and shouted, "HELLO?! Is anyone in this house alive?"   
After a pause, another intercom came on in the house. "Yes?"  
"Oh, hey Claire." He said. "What are you doing?"  
"I'm eating." She replied.  
"Where at?" He asked. "The dining room? I already tried that room."  
"Not the dining room, the veranda." Claire told him.  
"The veranda?" he repeated. "No you aren't, I know you aren't, I just checked the veranda---at least I think that was the veranda."  
"The glass-enclosed veranda in the West wing, Leon." Claire replied impatiently.   
"Oh... that one..." Leon replied. "Well, okay, I didn't check THAT one."  
"Where are you at right now?" she asked him.  
"The ballroom." He replied.   
After running through the house, he finally found Claire sitting neatly at an oak wood table, her plate full of pancakes, eggs, French toast, and something that looked like mangled potatoes.  
"Hey, save some for me." Leon whined as he sat down and grabbed one of the red ceramic plates.   
"It's not my fault. You snooze, you lose." She replied in a self-aggrandizing way.   
Leon filled his plate with food from the buffet placed in front of them and started to inhale the food.  
Claire ate in silence before just sitting and staring at him in disgust. "Where did you learn table manners-a barn?"  
Leon shrugged before reaching for the glassware that held the syrup. "Is this maple?"  
Claire nodded before gagging as Leon poured gallons on the freshly baked pancakes. He gazed around the table before sighing. "There isn't any butter-did you finish it all?"  
Claire gasped in indignation. "I am not the only person who was eating at this table you know."  
"Well, did they at least save any ketchup for me? I can't eat eggs without ketchup." He whined.  
"Oh, stop being such a spoiled baby." Claire scolded as she reached to the left and handed him a red bottle. "Honestly, if this is what a month in the lap of luxury does to a tough guy like you... I never want to live like this again."  
Leon laughed as he stabbed a piece of the potatoes and shoved it into his mouth. "What is this anyway?"  
"Hashed browns." Claire replied tonelessly as she sat back in the white wicker chair, pulling her legs beneath her and staring out at all the trees that surrounded the veranda. Leon had to admit that this was one of the places that held any real peace, so close to nature. The trees all around them created a forest and the sound of birds chirping happy tunes in the branches was comforting.   
  
"Heads up!" Leon shouted as he threw the tennis ball up in the air before sending it flying towards Claire, who returned it easily.   
"So, where did everyone go to today?" he asked as he hit it back to her after they had been playing for a while.  
"Euro Disney." Claire replied.  
"Euro Disney? Man, I would've liked to see that." Leon said.  
"What's the point?" Claire asked him with a tone of annoyance in her voice. "You can go there anytime in the states."  
"Well, there must be a bunch of things that are different." Leon replied noncommittally, for fear that he would get her worked up into a fit.   
"Can we just, like, not talk about this right now?" she asked, throwing her racket down. She reached out her bare hand and caught the lightning quick ball that Leon had just sent sailing over the net in her direction.   
Scoffing, she tossed it up a few times before throwing it effortlessly back at Leon. "And you're getting weak, I think it's time that you start working out."   
Leon felt a shock go through his body before gazing down at his form self-consciously.  
  
Claire flinched as she reached out to pull down another book from the shelf. God, Leon could hit a ball. Why did she even ATTEMPT to catch that thing? It slammed straight into her palm and her entire hand went numb except for the painful sting that shot from the center of her hand to the tips of her newly manicured nails.   
"CLAIRE!" Sherry's voice came on in the intercom.   
Claire hopped off the little stool and pressed the button. "Yes?"  
"We're back from Euro Disney! Chris and Carlotta bought us a bunch of souvenirs! Jill has hers and yours in her bag. If you want to get them, she's locked herself in her room claiming that she's going to be taking a bubble bath for the rest of her life."  
Smiling, Claire told Sherry a brief 'thank you' before the girl ran off to try on some new outfit that they had bought for her before they came home. She sat down on the soft silk-covered day bed in the modern library. Claire was surprised that she had never found this room, they had been here for nearly a month and she had yet to find a place that she could feel comfortable in. Her special little niche, but despite Carlotta's attempt at warmth, the house was far too huge to ever give complete comfort and security. But this room was different, it was bright and sunny and Claire suddenly felt as if she would fall asleep any minute.   
Claire still didn't know why she was so hostile to Carlotta, who had only been friendly and hospitable to her, but she just couldn't soften her heart like everyone else had begun to do. Deep in her heart she still expected Carlotta to be the kind of woman who manipulates and uses her money and power to get what she wanted. And somewhere inside her, she expected that something big would happen soon. After soaking up the warm sunlight that broke through the skylight up above, she decided that for Chris' benefit, she would TRY to ease up. Sitting back in the chaise she soon got lost in the world of Danielle Steel's 'Jewels'.   
After the first few chapters, she closed the book and set it down on the laminate table beside her. Moments past as she thought about the previous weeks and how they had all lived in a luxury never known to them before. Who was she to criticize Leon and how he was acting to all of this? If the circumstances were different, she would be having the time of her life too. She, herself, had taken advantage of Carlotta's hospitality when she was calm enough to let her guard down. She had to apologize, of course, if she could find him in this mammoth house.   
Claire climbed down the narrow stairway that ended in a deep, rich mahogany door that connected back to the rest of the house. She was just about to head back down the hallway that was completely dominated by 16th century frescoes before she heard the low hum of a machine from somewhere in the opposite direction where she had come. Following the soft humming, she found a large glass enclosed area that had gym equipment stocked in it. Leon was busy running on one of the treadmills, sweat dripping down his forehead and neck and soaking up in his forest green tank shirt.   
Feeling shocked, Claire entered and sat down on the cobalt settee with white trim that seemed so out of place in a room full of the most up-to-date exercise equipment. Gazing around, Claire absently wondered if Carlotta recently installed this room for Chris' benefit. Leon slowed the treadmill down until he was walking at a brisk pace.  
"Hey." Claire replied after he had walked for about a minute.   
Abruptly, Leon whipped around, the treadmill's runner continued moving while his body did not and he tripped forward, banging his face into the electronic personal trainer and got thrown off the runner.   
Claire gasped as Leon withered in pain on his back and she went to her knees and patted his shoulder. "Oh Leon, I'm so sorry, are you all right?"  
Leon grumbled in pain and he clutched his nose between his fingers. "Oh fuck, I think it's bleeding."  
Claire looked closely before shaking her head. "No, it isn't."  
"Then it must be broken." Leon persisted in agony as he rolled onto his side, holding his stomach and his nose at the same time.  
"It's not broken, Leon," Claire insisted as she turned him over.  
"Well, I can feel it in the back of my throat---that's supposed to mean something serious and bad, isn't it?" Leon asked pitifully.  
"No, no Leon, you're fine." Claire said gently as she turned him over and held his head in her lap. "Come on now, stop that blubbering right now. NOW!" she added when Leon continued to bellyache about his nose.   
Leon was quiet for a few seconds before staring up at her, suddenly captivated.   
"What were you doing in here?" she asked lightly.  
"Trying to work off that breakfast I ate so that you wouldn't kill me." Leon said tonelessly.   
"I didn't know you would take me so seriously." Claire said.   
"Well, your opinion is important, whether you know it or not." Leon explained, still smarting from banging his face into the treadmill.   
Claire beamed before giggling softly and brushing the sweaty, tangled strands of auburn hair away from Leon's face.  
"That's really sweet of you Leon." She said.  
Leon shrugged. "It's a curse. I guess."  
The intercom scratched on and Chris' voice spoke up, telling them that they would be going out to dinner that night.  
"So what else is new?" Claire wondered out loud as she helped Leon up. 


	6. Surprises and Secrets

Chapter Six:  
  
  
  
  
Carlotta cleared her throat and tapped on the crystal glass and everyone looked up from the  
table. Chris stuffed one more mouthful of zesty baked ziti before he turned to face her. Carlotta  
smiled at him reassuringly and he smiled back. Carlotta hadn't told him what this was all about,  
all she had said was that there was big news to discuss. He didn't feel any need to be worried,  
since it appeared that his younger sister was worrying enough for the both of them.   
"I'm so happy you've all been here in Paris to share my home and my life." Carlotta began. "I don't  
know how long I've been able to get along without you in that big, lonely house."  
She paused for effect and turned to face Chris. "And you, my dear Christopher, have shown me just   
how big and lonely that house is... Darling, don't you think it's time to start planning our wedding?"  
Chris' mind didn'y quite comprehend what Carlotta had just said, then it hit him. Wedding? A  
WEDDING?! All the blood drained from his face and the once moist, delicious ziti caught in his throat,  
choking him and making him gasp for air. Chris heard one of the expensive silverware drop and he   
looked up to see that it was Claire who dropped it. Her face was pale and she looked sick, blanching   
as if the words that Carlotta had just spoken caused her physical pain. SHE wasn't the onewhom   
Carlotta was talking to.  
"Here," Jill said softly, offering Chris a glass of water.  
Chris took it gratefully and took a big gulp. Unfortunately, it went down too fast and he started  
to choke on THAT, spewing water all over the Armani suit that he was wearing. Some may have gone  
on Carlotta's Dior oringinal.   
"Take deep breaths," Carlotta suggested helpfully as she patted his back.   
"I'm okay," Chris managed to squeak out. "I'm fine, really."   
'Good, now stop CHOKING and maybe it will sound believable.' his mind told him. Taking a few deep  
breaths, Chris managed a weak smile. "Our wedding?" he repeated, casting a questioning look at his  
lover.  
Carlotta nodded gently, "Darling, do you not remember? That morning you left, I asked if you  
would marry me, and you said that you had so much to take care of first, but once Umbrella was over  
with, you were all mine." Carlotta smiled radiantly at him and took his hand. "It's been a year  
since that's been taken care of sweetums..."  
Had he really said that? Chris racked his brain to try and remember. Think you idiot, THINK! He  
managed another weak smile for Carlotta's benefit and nodded.  
"Yes, love," he whispered and Claire let out a strangled, choked gasp.  
Everyone turned to look at her and she stared down, ashen.  
"Is something wrong, dear?" Carlotta asked her.  
Claire flashed her a tight smile, her hand at the base of her throat. "Yes. Um... Chris getting  
married...it's quite a shock. She reached for her glass of chardonnay and took an easy sip.   
"Despite his free spirit, your brother is just the type to settle down." Carlotta said sweetly, and  
reached across the table to squeeze Claire's tight fist. "Just think, we're going to be sister-in-laws!"  
Chris could tell that the hip, teeny-bopper tone that Carlotta had taken when she said, 'sister-in-laws'  
didn't ease Claire's tension, only made it mount higher.   
"Sister-in-laws..." Claire purred uneasily, trying out the word. Then, deciding she didn't like the  
way it fit, she forced a sickly sweet smile and grabbed her chardonnay and gulped it down in one  
swig. Ugh, Chris groaned inwardly at Claire's sudden depression...TRES sophisticated...  
"I love it." Claire said in an ironic tone, meaning that she meant the exact opposite. She put  
on a tight, white smile and turned towards Chris. "I'm SO happy for you Chris-toe-pher." Claire said  
in the way she used to when they were kids and she wanted to tease Chris for some reason.   
With that, she grabbed Jill's chardonnay and polished that off too. She would've reached for Leon's  
too, but he saw that coming early on and hurriedly rushed to take the wine glass deftly out of her  
reach.   
"You're sister didn't strike me as much of a drinker..." Carlotta whispered to Chris just as the   
waiter delivered another bottle of champagne.   
"She isn't." Chris replied back. 'But she probably will be.'  
  
"Okay, good night everyone!" Chris called, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.   
"And I'm REALLY going to be in the Miss Paris Pageant?" Sherry asked Carlotta hopefully.   
"That's right." Carlotta said enthusiastically, giving her a tight hug. "Good night."  
"'Night." Sherry replied.   
"And I'm going to get you the very best pageant consultant in the country. I have a strong feeling  
you'll win."  
Claire let out a gruff sniff before disappearing into the East wing. Chris stuck his hands into  
his pockets and waited with Carlotta at the bottom of the ballroom stairs.   
"Christopher, I must tell you something." Carlotta said, in a hushed, secretive tone.  
"Yes?" he asked as they ascended the stairs and they linked arms.  
"Well, it's kind of hard to say this." Carlotta paused briefly before continuing. "I'm not who you  
think I am."   
Suddenly a light went on in Chris' head. This was too good to be true! No matter what Carlotta  
told him, if it was bad enough, it just might get him out of this mess! Chris crossed his fingers  
and hoped that Carlotta had lied and that her husband was still alive, she killed someone or something  
along those lines. Then he felt like throwing himself down the stairs just for THINKING the worst  
about a woman who was nothing but wonderful to him.  
"What is it?" he asked patiently.   
Carlotta sighed and twirled her fingers in her hair and looked up at him, suddenly looking years  
older. "I didn't get this house just by being the late wife of an ambassador."  
Aha! Chris thought. Prostitution. He'd be able to get out of this faster than he'd thought.  
"How DID you get all of this?" Chris asked, putting just the right amount of suspicion into his  
voice.   
Carlotta bit her bottom lip and took his hand to lead him out to the balcony. "Sit down, honey."  
Chris sat down on one of the 19th century divans and looked up at her. "What is it?" he asked her,   
wondering what could be weighing so heavily on her mind.  
Carlotta sat down beside him and took his hand in hers. "Okay...before I married Ricardo... I  
came from a very rich... very powerful family back in Italy... And that is how I got all of this."  
she waved a disinterested hand to her villa as if it were an ordinary shack.  
"That's the thing that you thought would be so horrible?" Chris asked her in astonishment.   
"I'm a Principessa, love. Most men here think it's intimidating to get serious with an Italian   
royal. You KNOW how brutal we are." Carlotta added with playful sarcasm.   
Chris laughed uneasily and kissed her cheek. Sighing, he said, "Why would it bother me?"  
"Oh, you American men..." she moaned as she took his head in her hands and kissed  
his lips softly.   
  
  
  
Leon tossed and turned on his bed, fluffing and re-fluffing the pillows that were as light as  
air. Kennedy, it isn't the bed that's bothering you, the news about Chris' engagement is shaking  
you up too. If it was shaking HIM up, what must it be doing to Chris? When Carlotta had dropped  
her bombshell, Chris looked as if he wanted to get up and run away. Claire had looked like someone  
had just come in and dropped a bloody, severed hand right into her beef wellington. Leon wondered   
howshe was holding up after all this. She had drank three glasses of wine when even one half was   
always more than sufficient in the past.   
As if reading his mind, Leon heard a loud bang from down the hall. Feeling curious, he got up  
and stepped out of his room. The hallway was dark and quiet and Leon began to feel that the first  
bang was his imagination. Just then, there was another loud, 'CRASH' from Claire's room. Hurrying  
towards the brier wood door, he gently knocked on it. After some shuffling, there was a gruff, "Come  
in."  
Grabbing and turning the knob, he opened the door and found Claire bent under her vanity table,  
her hands scrambling to pick up the pieces of something that had broken.   
"Are you okay?" he asked her, concerned. Claire let out an annoyed growl, as if his concern infuriated  
her even more.   
"Stop standing there, mocking me." Claire ordered sharply. "Do you have any glue?"  
Leon thought for a moment before nodding. "Yes. I do."  
"Well, don't just do something, stand there!" Claire said ironically, her voice thick with angry  
sarcasm and maybe even slurred a bit. "Leon, would you just get me the glue?"  
Leon did a little jump and saluted her passionately before heading back towards his room. Sitting  
on the arm of his bed, he bent over and opened the ebony, brass-inlayed Second Empire style   
cassettone. He quickly riffled through his clothes and pulled out a box of Krazy Glue. Tossing   
it up and catching it, he headed back to Claire.  
"Here it is, my lady." he said gallantly as he tossed it into her lap.  
"It took you long enough." Claire replied irritably.  
Leon sighed as he sat down at her vantiy chair and watched as she fumbled cumbersomely with the  
cap and tried unsuccessfully to glue back together the ivory figurine that she had dropped.  
Finally, she let out a groan and threw it onto her bed. She dropped her head in her hands and  
sighed deeply, her shoulders sagging in defeat.  
"Oh, now Claire, don't feel too bad..." Leon said comfortingly as he picked up the discarded glue  
and small statue. "Look, we can fix it."  
"It's not the stupid statue Leon!" Claire erupted, her voice almost nothing but a distraught sob.  
Leon let out an understanding 'hmph' and cleared his throat. "Well, what is it then?" he asked,  
just for the sake of asking as he gently set down the statue.   
"You KNOW what it is!" she moaned, her shoulders sagged even more until she practically had her   
stomach pressed against her thighs. "MY GOD, CHRIS IS A FUCKING IDIOT!"  
Leon made a clucking sound with his tongue before he placed his hand on her back. "It's okay.  
Don't worry about it..." He paused. "Can I get you anything?"  
"No--or, yes." she sighed. "Get me a drink." 


	7. Rendezvous in Paris

Chapter Seven:  
  
  
  
  
"I think this dress compliments you best, Sherry." Carlotta said warmly, holding up a   
velvet, dark blue off the shoulder dress up against Sherry's front side. 'Don't you think   
so?" she asked, turning to Claire.  
Claire forced a smile and nodded before turning to a shelf rack with sparkly bags and   
accessories on it. Her hands shook as she picked examined each one carefully and the   
vague trace of a hangover still the top most of her concerns.   
"Oh! I knew it! Just perfect!" Carlotta exclaimed as Sherry came out wearing the   
Vivienne Tam dress and modeled it confidently for all of them.   
"This will be the first dress you'll wear," Carlotta said, looking thoughtful. "For when   
you first meet the judges. Then the Dolce and Gabbana for the talent portion. There's   
still plenty of time before the pageant, we can find more dresses that will vibrate out all   
of the perfection that is you."  
'Oh, spare me...' Claire thought, feeling she may throw up. She felt someone step up   
beside her and tap her shoulder. She saw Chris smiling at her.   
"Hey sis, you feeling okay?" he asked.  
"I'm fine." She said curtly, turning on her heels and walking out the door to sit on one of   
the benches.   
Claire sighed as she crossed her arms under her breasts and sank deeply into her seat,   
keeping her eyes downward. Seconds later, a pair of boots appeared in her sight and she   
followed up to see Chris.   
"What is up with you?" he demanded. "You've been completely distant all day. Not to   
mention that you're treating Carlotta like crap. She's done all this nice stuff for you all,   
plus, she's my fiancée. Could you simmer down?"  
"Simmer down?" Claire repeated doubtfully. "Me? You're the one who's playing lap   
dog to Grandma Moses. I never did understand your taste in women."  
"Carlotta is young at heart." Chris said passionately, his tone biting and sharp. "And   
we love each other very much."  
"Oh please." Claire retorted disgustedly. "You've never been serious about any woman   
before. Why is she any different? Is it her money? Is that it?"  
"NO!" Chris detonated. "Is it so hard to believe that I can love someone? Because if you   
think so, then you're sadly mistaken, little sister." He said the word 'little' in a harsh,   
patronizing tone.   
"How are you so sure she actually LOVES you Chris? She'll play with you for a little   
while before she discards you like an old shoe. Face it, you'll never be anything but her   
punk."  
Chris' brow furrowed in anger and Claire saw him turn two shades of red. He closed   
his eyes and she could tell he was counting to ten in his mind. Finally, he opened his   
eyes and said softly, "You're just jealous because you're to scared to love a person.   
You're jealous because I have somebody--- and you have nobody..."  
Claire's throat tightened and tears welled up in her eyes. She wanted to make Chris mad   
at her, but she hadn't expected him to say something so hurtful. She wasn't jealous of   
Chris. Why should she be?   
"If I'm scared to love somebody, it's YOUR fault Christopher Redfield." She said   
indicted.   
"MY fault?" Chris replied. "Why so?"  
Claire thought back to all the girlfriends that Chris had had when he was in high   
school. She was only ten-years-old when half the cheerleading squad at Houston High   
came to their house, begging and pleading to see Chris. Seeing their devastated, heart-  
broken faces shocked her. Chris wouldn't do THIS to them, right? Chris was a GOOD   
person, wasn't he?  
"I looked up to you Chris." Claire said. "If a person as great as you could break so many   
hearts just for the fun of it then I really had no chance in finding someone who will love   
me for me."  
Chris' eyes widened and he sputtered. "What---?"  
"And they were cheerleaders Chris!" Claire interjected. "You turned down the most   
beautiful girls in school. How do you think an ordinary looking girl like me would feel?   
Hopeless!"  
Chris was silent before he smiled. "Did anyone ever tell you that you have an isolation   
complex?" He paused. "That IS what it's called, isn't it? I didn't go to college like you   
did."  
"I don't care!" Claire shouted loud enough to make people stop and stare. "Don't tell me   
what kind of problem I have. Just leave me alone!"  
She tossed her hair and sped away from him. Barely looking where she was going, she   
bumped and tripped her way through Chanel until she was outside and waiting for the   
first bus or taxi to take her away from this place.   
"Rough day?" a voice asked, touching her shoulder.  
"I said leave me alone you moron!" she snapped.  
"Hey, cool it. Is that anyway to talk to the guy who stayed up half the night to make sure   
you didn't drink yourself to death?"  
Claire turned to see Leon with his hands in his jacket pockets, rocking forward on the   
balls of his feet.   
"Oh, Leon, I didn't see you-- I mean I didn't--I didn't know it was you..."   
Leon held up a hand to silence her and nodded. "I understand."  
Claire pressed her lips together and clenched her fists. "I guess you're wondering what   
that whole scenario was about, huh?"  
"I didn't say that." Leon replied as he sat down on the nearby bench.  
"Then I guess you're wondering why I said all those things when I'm supposed to be this   
self-confident, cocky person?" she tried again.  
"I didn't say that either." Leon said as he chewed on his thumbnail.   
"Then why did you follow me out here?" she asked.  
Leon shrugged, "It isn't for me to say."  
Claire stared at him for a few moments before bursting into a fit of laughter.   
Leon grinned enormously and patted the seat next to him. "Sit down you dork."  
Claire sighed but obeyed and sat down. She pulled her jacket around her tightly as the   
wind picked up. It was going to be a cold day.  
"Look, Leon," she began ungenerously. "If you came because everyone wants me to   
come back so they can chew my ear off, you can forget it. I'm not going back."  
"What? Me? I didn't come to call you back." Leon said innocently, looking as if that   
was the most astonishing proposal that anyone ever suggested. "I only wanted to know if   
you wanted to do something other than shopping today. I don't recall you ever going   
sight-seeing. I mean, you looked at all the sights, but you didn't really SEE them."  
Claire raised an eyebrow. "Leon, I have no idea what you just said."  
"I know." Leon said. "It was close to poetry, very deep. I don't expect you to   
understand."   
Claire scoffed and hit his shoulder playfully. "I know what you mean now. But what   
good would it do? Neither of us has been to Paris before--not including that time when I   
was looking for Chris." Claire said, almost without a thought. It wasn't that difficult not   
to think of Rockford anymore.   
Leon smiled mischievously. "When I was in ninth grade, I did a project on France. I   
know all those must-see places thanks to that." He said. "Want to go to Versailles? Or   
the Bastille? How about we go visit old Quasi at Notre Dame?" he asked, hunching over   
and squinting one eye.   
Claire shook her head and frowned as the tour bus arrived, ready to take a new stream of   
passengers.   
"Come on," Leon coaxed. "It's gotta be better that we get away from them instead of   
you killing your brother."  
Claire thought for a while before jumping up. "Let's go." She said.  
"All RIGHT!" Leon exclaimed, following her up the steps and taking a seat in the bus.   
  
  
  
"How about a picture of your mug on a mug?" Leon asked as they left the gift shop.   
"Puh-leaze." Claire said, pretending to be disgusted with his lame humor, but laughed   
anyway. "Some souvenir...Where's our next stop?"  
"Let me see," Leon said as he put on a false French accent. "Ve ave visited zee Lourve,   
zee Bastille, zee Eiffel Tower und many other tings..." he slipped back into his real   
voice. "It's almost 5:30. Why don't we go see the river Seine?"  
"Sure... or--- Qui." She said coyly.   
Leon grinned and linked his arm through hers. They walked down the crowded streets   
of Paris and Claire looked at all the scenes. She had to admit that she hadn't really had a   
chance to see the true beauty of the place. She didn't regret having that squabble with   
Chris. This was the most relaxing day she'd had in a month. She loved seeing the   
paintings in the Lourve, the dark gloominess of the Bastille, the enormity and   
exquisiteness of the Eiffel Tower...She hadn't had so much to see since Carlotta had   
shown them her villa.   
"So," Leon said as they passed beneath the Arc de Triumph. "What was that whole   
thing in Chanel about?"  
"Hmmm?" Claire asked, snapping out of her daze.   
"That girl that nearly broke down and said all those crazy things." Leon said, refreshing   
her memory. "Where did she come from?"  
Claire blushed furiously and laughed uncomfortably. "I have no idea where she came   
from."  
"She's not like the girl I know." Leon said teasingly.   
"And who IS the girl you know?" Claire asked, staring down at her feet.   
"Oh, confident, sarcastic, weird..." Leon said, ticking the list off his fingers. "Witty?"  
Claire laughed. "Well, there's a lot of stuff you wouldn't know about me."  
"Like what? I'd like to know." Leon said.  
"I just never want to end up like all those pathetic girls that need a man to be happy. I   
didn't want to be like one of Chris' discarded girlfriends..." Claire trailed off. "I guess I   
just tried to hide behind that façade for a long time."  
"Why would you want to hide behind anything?" Leon asked, mystified. "You're   
gorgeous."  
Claire looked up at him, her eyes wide. "What?"  
"Do you honestly think you're plain-looking?" Leon asked, without answering her. "It's   
amazing that you don't know how pretty you are."  
Claire felt her face grow pleasantly warm as Leon took her hand and they walked   
down the Seine. Her heart pounded as Leon started to tell her all he knew about Paris but   
all she could hear was what he said about her being gorgeous. She felt ashamed to say it,   
but boys had told her that she was pretty when she was a girl and she'd been too shocked   
to react. She was too much of a tomboy to be flattered and too distrusting to start   
anything of importance. But this time was different.   
She was a woman of 22, and the sweetest man she'd ever known had came THIS close   
to saying 'I love you'. In so many words of course... For one mad instant, Claire wanted   
to lean forward and press her lips to Leon's. Before she could gather her courage, Leon   
stood and offered her his hand.   
"We'd better get going." Leon said. "Chris will be wondering what I've done with you." 


	8. Morning Sunshine

Chapter Eight  
  
Bright sunlight streamed into the peaches-and-crème coloured room from the   
  
enormous bay window hitting Jill Valentine right in the eyes. She groaned and pulled her   
  
covers over her light brown mop. She gave a deep yawn and tucked her knees into her   
  
chest. She was just about to drift off into a deep slumber once more before her bedroom   
  
door flew open.   
  
"HEY!!!" Jill exclaimed as the covers flew from around her. She leapt up and   
  
covered her bare legs with a pillow as Chris started tromping across the room.   
  
"Where is she? Is she in here? Did she sleep in here with you? Have you seen Leon?"   
  
Chris demanded—it didn't seem like the man was ever capable of ASKING anything.   
  
He didn't even look her in the eye as he fired questions—demands? —At her point blank.   
  
Instead, he threw open her closet and bathroom door peeking in suspiciously as if he were   
  
expecting to find two-hundred-and-fifteen pounds of marijuana lying on the floor instead   
  
of designer outfits and a package of tampons.   
  
"Ugh, Chris, it's way too early to do this—can't you bother me again in at least an   
  
hour? Or two?" she grabbed her covers and attempted to get back to sleep but Chris   
  
wouldn't let her.   
  
"It's Claire. She didn't come back last night. Neither did Leon. They aren't here. They   
  
aren't here, Jill—and they've been gone ever since yesterday—something isn't right   
  
here!"   
  
Jill muttered a grievance under her breath but Chris either didn't hear her or pretended   
  
not to. He looked out the bay window into the wooded area about half a mile out on the   
  
property past the pool quarters and lining up right behind the cabanas.   
  
"Valentine, did you hear me? They've been gone since yesterday—they left Chanel   
  
together and haven't been seen since—something isn't right!" He repeated himself, his   
  
voice reaching a hysterical tone Jill only heard him use when he was worried about his   
  
younger sibling. "I never trusted Kennedy."  
  
At that Jill had to laugh. "Oh, PLEASE, Christopher Jay!" she tossed off her covers   
  
and reached for a pair of pants right beside her bed. "The man is your best friend—just   
  
last week I heard you both planning on getting matching tattoos."  
  
"Guys do that stuff all the time." Chris retorted.  
  
"Yeah, but you were planning on fitting the lyrics for 'Down With the Sickness' on your   
  
asses—if that isn't friendship and trust, what is, I ask you?" she snorted mockingly.   
  
"Once again, woman, you are missing the point." Chris said. He stopped short, as if   
  
he had just said something he shouldn't have.  
  
Jill stopped also. She turned slowly and looked at him dauntingly.   
  
"Excuse me?" she said in a deathly quiet voice.   
  
Chris scratched his head nervously looking somewhat like the idea Jill had of   
  
Neanderthal men. You could practically see the subtitles lighting up under him as he   
  
looked from her to the door: Insult Jill. Must save ass.  
  
"Did you…did you just call me… 'Woman'?" she asked incredulously. "Did you just   
  
PATRONIZE me, Christopher Redfield?"  
  
"Now…now Jill, you've been in such a good mood this whole trip—quiet, you know?   
  
Why break that habit now?"   
  
Jill started after him and Chris bolted into the hallway. He slid halfway across the ten-  
  
foot span of the corridor and darted pell-mell to the door that led out of the wing. Jill   
  
followed close behind him, feeling much more at ease than she had when she had first   
  
arrived. For some reason, with all these breakables around, putting Chris in his place   
  
seemed a dangerous idea. But the house had become hers in the past few weeks and now   
  
dashing down the hall with jeans and a thin nightshirt hardly seemed like anything.   
  
There was just more space for Chris to run from her here.   
  
"Come on, Jill!" Chris hollered over his shoulder. "You haven't caused any trouble   
  
for me since we've been here—why be selfish now?"  
  
"Oh, I'M the one being selfish, am I?" she asked as she followed him down a flight of   
  
stairs.  
  
"You know what I mean, you're the boring one! Leave the fun stuff to me."   
  
Okay, that was an insult that he'd have to pay for. She sped up until she reached him   
  
just before he entered the fresco-dominated loggia*, where she pounced on him.   
  
"Just because I have some sense of dignity and responsibility does NOT mean I am   
  
boring." She grabbed Chris's arms and twisted them behind him. "Give?"  
  
"Never!" Chris declared with a grin.  
  
Jill applied pressure and slammed her knee into his back. A howl of pain came from   
  
her comrade but she just twisted his arm harder.  
  
"Cheater." Chris spat. "You're just taking advantage of me because you're a girl—  
  
DAMN IT!!!"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"You'd better watch it, Valentine or I'm going to call for bac—my uncle! Uncle! —  
  
Watch out or I'll call for my UNCLE! Damn it, Jill, UNCLE!"  
  
Jill was about to release her viper grasp when a soft voice interrupted from the end of   
  
the gallery. "Oh, my…what in the…Christopher? Jill? What…?"  
  
Jill and Chris turned to see Carlotta and Sherry standing beneath the arch about twenty   
  
feet away from them.   
  
"Oh, Carlie…" Chris said, slipping out of Jill's loosened grip to greet his fiancée with a   
  
hug. "Good morning."  
  
"Good morning." She returned with a kiss. "Where's your sister, darling? She's not   
  
still upset, is she?"  
  
Chris groaned and let his head fall backwards so that he was looking up at the barrel-  
  
vaulted ceiling in an exasperated way. "She and Leon still haven't come back since her   
  
'episode' yesterday." He replied. "I'm starting to get a little worried."  
  
"There's no need to worry, sweet. Claire's a big girl; she can take care of herself. And   
  
I'm sure that with Leon there he won't let anything happen to her."  
  
Jill nodded and stepped forward. "She's right, Chris. Claire is in good hands."  
  
"How do you know?" Chris demanded, whirling around.   
  
"Christopher, what I think Jill means by that is…" Carlotta tried to massage Chris's   
  
shoulders to soothe his riled senses. She trailed off in mid-sentence before realizing there   
  
was no way of getting through to him in this state. "She'll be fine."  
  
"How do you know?" he stipulated.  
  
Carlotta smiled shook her head. "Why don't you go and eat something? You'll feel   
  
ever so much better if you got some of Cook's pancakes in your stomach." The two   
  
shared an intimate laugh that ended with a tiny yelp from Chris and an expression on his   
  
face that suggested that Carlotta had given him a pinch on his ass.   
  
"Well…okay…" he said.   
  
Chris turned on his heel and gestured around the room. "Jill? Sherry? You gonna   
  
come?"  
  
Sherry nodded right away and skipped off to join him. Jill nodded but declared that she   
  
would have to go change first.   
  
"Carlie? You gonna—ur—are you going to join us also?" Chris asked making sure to   
  
use proper grammar with his betrothed.  
  
"I'll be right there, love." She told him then turned around to face Jill.  
  
"Jill? Sweetheart? Would you mind some company back to your quarters?"  
  
Jill smiled. "Sure."  
  
They walked back down the hall and Jill glanced at her reflection in the mirror that ran   
  
the full length of one of the walls in the corridor. She didn't look like she belonged in   
  
this house all of a sudden. Her hair was tangled and some of the straight light brown   
  
strands flew around her head in flyaway tufts. Her clothes were rumpled from the   
  
running and tackling, the skimpy material of her top clinging in the most improper of   
  
places—to top it all off, her zipper was open.   
  
"Jill?" Carlotta said as Jill hurried to zip up her jeans.   
  
"Yes, Carlotta?" she asked politely, trying to straighten herself up.   
  
"…I sincerely hope you don't take offense, dear…but…if you don't mind my saying   
  
so…" Carlotta trailed off listless before smiling in a forced sweet way. "In my house, I'd   
  
very much appreciate it if you would…consider a more proper choice of dress before you   
  
roam around?"  
  
"Oh, that…well, yes, I WAS going to get dressed in better…uh, whatever…but…"   
  
she let out a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry."  
  
Carlotta nodded and was quiet for a moment. "Jill, darling? Whatever happened to all   
  
those wonderful night gowns that we purchased for you?"  
  
"Oh! I love them! I really do. It's just that…well, I was so tired yesterday that I didn't   
  
have the energy to change into any. They're so beautiful as it is that I'm scared to touch   
  
them." She smiled at Carlotta but received none in return.  
  
"Ms. Valentine, may I remind you that you are not in the U.S. where such nudity is   
  
permitted. You are in my home and in the presence of my fiancé—I don't need—"  
  
"Wait a minute." Jill interrupted, not sure whether to say how insulted she felt that   
  
Carlotta had made an attack on her homeland's fashion sense or laugh at her un-needed   
  
insecurity of Chris's affection. And where was this 'Ms. Valentine' coming from all of a   
  
sudden? "Not everyone walks around half-naked where we come from, Carlotta." She   
  
said lamely.  
  
"That is beside the point, Ms. Valentine." Carlotta fired back. "The point is that I've got   
  
a good thing going with Christopher, I do not need anyone gumming up the works."  
  
Indignation flared in Jill's face. What was going on here? Did they just cross into   
  
another dimension or something? Where was all this hostility coming from? And where   
  
was it hiding since all of it seemed to pour out so easily?   
  
"I…I…you're worried about CHRIS?!" Jill exclaimed, close to laughing. "Carlotta, you   
  
don't have to worry about anything. There is nothing going on between Chris and I. I   
  
mean, he loves YOU. We're only friends."  
  
Carlotta smiled condescendingly. She was a few inches taller than Jill, a fact that she   
  
just noticed now. "It makes no difference the status of the two of you. Friends or not,   
  
you're a woman—the same as I am. We know how men can be. They see what they see   
  
and they do what they can." She gestured to Jill's clothing. "And…I'm afraid that   
  
whether he wants to or not…he notices you when you're…" Carlotta cleared her throat   
  
and shook her head.   
  
"I'm glad we had this talk, sweetheart." Carlotta said in the most fake voice Jill had   
  
ever heard in her life. "It takes a load off of my mind."  
  
By this time, they had reached Jill's room and Carlotta headed back to the entrance.   
  
Jill just stared after her, not sure whether to laugh, cry, scream or break into song. Just   
  
before Carlotta headed out of sight, she turned back to Jill and smiled, "You understand   
  
all of this, don't you, Jill?"  
  
Jill nodded numbly; still unable to comprehend anything that had just happened. She   
  
didn't understand it at all. She opened up her door and stepped into her room. How   
  
strange that less than fifteen minutes ago, she had thought of this as her room, in her   
  
house. Now she just felt like a disgusting interloper.  
  
Jill hurried into the bathroom and drew a hot bath for herself, feeling tainted at   
  
Carlotta's words. As the steam rose and fogged up the mirrors, she started to feel angry.   
  
Who did Carlotta think she was? It was obvious that Jill was no competition for her. She   
  
wasn't rich, she wasn't of royal blood, and she wasn't a lot of things. Where were all the   
  
insecurities coming from? Jill couldn't think of anything that she had done to deserve   
  
any of the accusations.   
  
Settling herself into the tub, Jill became annoyed once more. This time, at herself.   
  
She had grown up in the big city, with a big thief for a father. Being from the city gave   
  
her a wall around her by necessity—the latter only made the wall bigger and stronger.   
  
She was NOT a sensitive person…or at least she hadn't been. So why hadn't she been   
  
able to shake off Carlotta's charges? Jill was starting to feel unbelievably sick and the   
  
fact that Chris's voice came on the intercom just as she was climbing out of the tub ten   
  
minutes later didn't help any either.  
  
Claire opened her eyes to strange, unfamiliar surroundings. The room she was in was   
  
dark and cool, most of the sunlight from outside blocked by the heavy curtains that ran   
  
the length of two walls. Looking up, she reached for the string for the bedside lamp and   
  
pulled on it. Artificial light from a 75-watt bulb cut through the darkness and now made   
  
the room dim. She saw what looked like a hotel room…and not a bad looking one either.   
  
There was a mini-bar beside an entertainment centre on the far left wall and right across   
  
from it was a bunch of sofas and armchairs arranged for conversation and the color of   
  
French vanilla ice cream. Just to her right was a set of double doors that probably led to a   
  
bathroom or changing room or both.   
  
The room was pretty enough to have been in Carlotta's villa but Claire deeply   
  
suspected that they weren't there. The decorating scheme was off. Claire sat up quickly,   
  
racking her brain in a panic. She couldn't remember how she got there. It wasn't alcohol   
  
induced, but she still just couldn't remember what had happened after her and Leon's   
  
stroll passed the river Seine. And where was Leon, anyway?  
  
As if to answer her question, the door opened and Leon came strolling in with two   
  
brown paper bags with elaborate font across both of them. He was also carrying two   
  
cups of coffee that gave off a delicious aroma.  
  
"Oh, good, you're up." Leon said in a bright, cheerful voice that immediately made   
  
Claire feel silly for worrying about anything. "About time. It's nearly 10:00. I thought   
  
you might be hungry so I got something at the delicatessen across the street." He sat   
  
down at the edge of the bed and handed her a bag and one of the coffees he bought.   
  
"You like hazelnut mixed with Irish crème, right?"  
  
"You remembered." Claire said with a smile.   
  
"Yup." He said proudly. "Practically the only boy scout badge I ever got was for   
  
tracking and memory."  
  
Claire smiled again and took a sip of her coffee while Leon pulled out an enormous   
  
croissant and headed to the heavily draped windows.  
  
"A little depressing in here, ain't it?" he asked before sliding the drapes away. Piercing,   
  
mid-morning sunshine flooded the room and Claire let out a small yelp at the sudden   
  
shock her eyes received.  
  
"Hello? I just woke up?"  
  
"Sorry." Leon replied. "But we'd better be getting back to the villa. Chris will probably   
  
chew my head off for not bringing you home last night."  
  
Claire watched in amazement as Leon practically inhaled the croissant in one bite.   
  
Looking down at her coffee she took a deep breath. "Um…Leon?"  
  
"Hmm?" was his reply.  
  
"What…exactly…happened? I mean…I can't remember anything—did you slip me   
  
something?" she demanded.  
  
"Moebuhisotied…" Leon mumbled around a mouthful of bread.   
  
"Attractive. Very. Swallow, would you?" she asked and waited while he finished.  
  
"I said, 'no—but I sure tried'." Leon replied with a huge grin. "You're not exactly   
  
easy, are you?"  
  
Claire frowned. "No, I'm not."  
  
"Well, I didn't get the chance to slip you anything—but once you do get in the sack,   
  
you're pretty wild…"  
  
Claire stared dumb-founded at him for a few frozen seconds. "I…sincerely   
  
hope…you are joking."  
  
Leon sighed. "Now, Claire, why would I be joking? You think that I—come on, any guy   
  
would—I mean, you're—yeah, I am."  
  
He started to laugh hard and Claire hurled a pillow at him. "Well, something   
  
happened here last night. Why are we here instead of at Carlotta's villa?"  
  
Leon shrugged. "You didn't wanna go home. We were about to, but we kept getting   
  
sidetracked. Finally it got so late and you just blatantly refused to return to that…what   
  
was the term you used? Lemme see… 'Cradle of sin' I think you called it?"  
  
Claire laughed and shook her head. "God, what was I on?"  
  
"You know, believe it or not, you were sober?" Leon replied. "Honestly, not one drop of   
  
liquor of puff of smoke went into your system. You're actually pretty dramatic when left   
  
to your own devices."  
  
Claire laughed once more and threw herself against her pillows before rolling onto her   
  
side. Leon was acting unusually comic this morning. Well, he was always a clown, but   
  
now he seemed to be really over-doing it. Absently, she wondered if it had anything to   
  
do with yesterday.  
  
Suddenly, Leon had mirrored her move and now had her in a front-to-back hug. "So,   
  
what are we going to tell Chris to make this whole thing worthwhile?" He asked,   
  
somehow making the whole process of nuzzling her neck with his forehead seem neutral   
  
and friendly.  
  
Claire bit her bottom lip and pretended to be in deep thought. "We'll tell him the   
  
truth, of course. That we both got horribly drunk, you checked us into this hotel under   
  
the names of Dick Hardson and Bambi Banger—"  
  
"Ooh, sounds promising." He interrupted with a laugh.  
  
Claire giggled. "And after raiding the mini-bar only to find that there weren't any   
  
Goobers, you practically threw me on the floor and ravished me until I screamed—"  
  
"Ooh-ooh-ooh! Lemme guess: WHO'S YOUR DADDY?!" Leon finished with a   
  
loud shout that was meant to sound like an orgasmic ejaculation. It only made Claire   
  
laugh.  
  
Once the two calmed down, Claire said, "Nah, it has to be believable."  
  
"It's good enough for me." Leon replied, puckering his lips in disappointment. "But,   
  
yeah, it'd probably be more believable if I just told him you gave me the best blow job of   
  
my life."  
  
"Heh, in your dreams." Claire said, kicking her foot back to hit his shin.  
  
"Or maybe if you told him that I'm the best sixty-niner you've ever met."  
  
"Okay, now you're just reaching for the moon."  
  
"Hey, making love to me wouldn't be that terrible." He nuzzled up against her and said   
  
in a nonchalant voice, "In fact, I think you'd find it quiet enjoyable."  
  
Claire was about to fire a sarcastic remark when she realized she didn't have one. She   
  
reached for his hand and gently squeezed it. "Yeah, I think I would."  
  
Leon was quiet and still for about half a second before he leapt up and grabbed   
  
Claire's coat. "All right. I think I've got it." He said, an animated glow coming to his   
  
face as he tossed Claire his coat to wear and gulped down his coffee. "You raped me."  
  
Claire just managed a laugh as she stood up. "Don't make me pour this coffee down   
  
your pants, Kennedy."  
  
A pained, wounded expression appeared on Leon's visage. "You've done worse." He   
  
gesticulated with a violated sigh.  
  
* A loggia, in this chapter, is an open but roofed gallery at the front or side of a building,   
  
usually on an upper floor. 


End file.
